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Student life: CU student to compete on 'Wheel of Fortune' April 7

April 4, 2014

When University of Colorado Boulder sophomore Erin Geis tried out for the "Wheel of Fortune" College Week competition last summer, she wasn't sure she would make the cut, even though she is a lifetime fan of the television game show.

"I made a video my freshman year on Farrand Field explaining why I would be a good contestant on the show and why I wanted to be on the show," said Geis, a California native who often played mock games with her grandparents growing up.

Geis's video was selected and she went through auditions last July. It wasn't easy to make the field of contestants, according to Geis, an advertising major. It was definitely harder than calling out answers from the couch at home.

"We had to play actual games against other people trying out, practice calling out letters, give an interview about ourselves and also take a five-minute written test to see how many puzzles you could fill in in that time," she said. "They said if you receive a letter in two weeks you have been selected. I thought I wasn't going to be on because I received the letter after two weeks, but I got picked."

Once selected, Geis said she prepared for the show by watching old College Week episodes on YouTube and downloading the "Wheel of Fortune" app. While nerve-wracking, being on the show was a great experience, according to Geis (shows are pre-taped).

"Being on set was awesome -- getting our makeup and hair done -- but it was really scary when it was my turn to actually film the show," she said. "When the cameras started rolling the time flew by so fast. You had so much to remember, looking at the right camera, smiling, not clapping near your microphone. It was a little overwhelming."

To watch Geis compete, tune in to "Wheel of Fortune" on Monday, April 7, during "College Week."

When Geis isn't watching "Wheel of Fortune" or learing about advertising, she can be found snowboarding, hiking and hanging out with her friends.